


Pull Me Closer

by LilianaSnow



Series: Pen [9]
Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Adorable, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bathing/Washing, Bubble Bath, Charles Xavier's Ph.D in Adorable is Genetic, Claustrophobia, Comfort, Couch Cuddles, Cuddling & Snuggling, Family Fluff, Fluff, Forehead Kisses, Healthy Relationships, Honeymoon, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Lazy Mornings, M/M, Married Couple, Massage, Morning Cuddles, Morning Kisses, Mutants, No Sex, No Smut, Original Character(s), Pajamas & Sleepwear, Past Abuse, Past Violence, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romantic Fluff, Sickfic, Sleepy Cuddles, Sweet, This Family and Their Smart Rich Boyfriends, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, True Love, Understanding, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-08 15:33:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17389028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilianaSnow/pseuds/LilianaSnow
Summary: Peter's sick on the honeymoon, but insists he doesn't want to go home quite yet. He's far from miserable, so Ben lets him call the shot.Thank you to my fren for the title!





	Pull Me Closer

Peter whimpered as he threw up for the third day in a row. He hadn't kept his breakfast down at all so far in their honeymoon, and he felt bad about it. He thought about last time he'd been sick like this. Ben was so patient when he'd been sick, helping him to do whatever it was that he needed to do. He had made him breakfast twice- once in the early morning, and then after Peter's daily prayer to the porcelain god and the taste of the toothpaste had faded. He could hear Ben in the other room of their cabin, shuffling things around in the suitcases. He sighed, flushed, and pulled himself up weakly. Slowly, he made his way out to where Ben was searching through Peter's bag.

"Ben, what are you doing?" he asked, leaning on the wall.

"I'm looking for that sil- aha!" He pulled out a black silk nightshirt and set it next to the fireplace, with a white silk pair of pajama pants on a side table. Then he straightened and smiled at him. "Come, come, I'm going to draw up a bath for you. You need it, you've been so sore this week." He held out his hand.

Peter let himself lean on Ben, laying his head on his shoulder. "I don't want any-"

"Just a bath, baby. Just a nice, warm bath and shoulder rub. I'm not going to do anything at all but help you relax." He gently kissed his head.

"Bath sounds nice..."

Ben gently led him into the bathroom, sitting him down on the toilet lid. He drew up a warm bath for his husband, then poured in some bubbles before mixing them with the soap. As the bubbles mixed, he turned to Peter. "Come here,  _meine Libelle,_ it's almost ready."

Peter smiled softly as Ben helped him take off his clothes and eased him into the water. He sighed quietly as the water immediately started to loosen his muscles. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the tub, sliding down to cover more of his body with the soothingness of the bubbles. He relaxed and stayed there for a good, solid ten minutes before he opened his eyes and looked at Ben.

"Thank you. This feels amazing," he told him truthfully. His voice was groggy and hoarse, but there was underlying peace in it to.

Ben smiled at his husband. He gently started to rub his shoulders, kissing the top of his head. "Do you feel better now?"

"Much. Thank you."

"Always, baby, always." Ben started rubbing slow, firm circles into his skin, easing the tension out of his body. Peter relaxed into his touch. He felt close to him and warm with love and care.

Ben chased the tension from his muscles. Peter started to nod off slightly, his head falling against Ben's chest. He relaxed and gave Ben ultimate trust. After a few minutes, Ben started to massage warm water into Peter's hair, wetting his hair from scalp to ends. He grabbed the shampoo and started to wash his hair, smiling when his husband started to purr. After a few minutes, he made Peter tilt his head back so he didn't get soap in his eyes. He ran water through his hair and gently massaged the soap out.

Ben carefully wiped Peter's face with a soft washcloth and then started to lather Peter's body. The speedster smiled at him and cracked an eye open.

"I feel great, Ben. Thank you."

"I'm glad you feel better. You deserve the best." Ben smiled and started to drain the tub. Turning on the water, he rinsed away the soap from his skin. He continued to massage him until he reached for the fluffy towel he had grabbed for him.

He wrapped the towel around him and lifted him from the tub. He pat him dry and kissed him softly, holding him tight and rubbing his side lightly. Peter purred and curled closer to him, hugging him. Ben smiled and nuzzled him gently, helping him get dressed and holding him close on the couch. Peter curled up and lay with his head on his chest.

"I'm sorry I'm sick, Ben... Sorry I ruined our honeymoon."

"It isn't your fault you're sick. And the only way this would be ruined was if you were only staying out here because you thought you had to. If you want to go home, we can do that."

"No, I'd rather just... Cuddle here..."

Ben nodded softly, pulling him close and rubbing Peter's stomach. "Do you think it's anything too serious?"

"No, not really... I should be feeling better soon." He smiled weakly up at him and buried his face in Ben's neck. "Is there any chance we could make that rice pudding stuff you and Charles made that one day? It was really good..."

"Of course, baby." Ben smiled softly at him. "I think we have all the stuff to make it. And if not, UberEats exists. I can order some more."

Peter smiled, blushing and holding his hand. "Thank you. I love you so so much."

"I love you too. Would you like some ginger tea, for your stomach?"

"Yes, please."

Ben gently wrapped a blanket around him, kissing the top of his head and going to start the water for the tea. Peter watched him, curled up and leaning comfortably against the couch. He watched Ben, also still in light pajamas and checked the food to make sure he had the stuff they needed for the rice pudding. Once he was sure, he started mixing the tea in and brought it in for him.

"Rice pudding's on the menu for tonight," he told him. He offered him the tea gently.

Peter smiled up at him and took the tea. He gently sipped it and leaned against Ben. "Thank you, Ben. You're amazing."

"I'm nowhere near your level, Peter. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You're so sweet, and loving. You genuinely care about your friends, and you loved our daughter from the day you found out she was there. You do your best to keep everyone safe and sound. And at our wedding, when you danced with your sisters? I could see just how much you loved them. You danced with them like they were the most precious things in the world. It was beautiful." He smiled softly at him and kissed his head again. "And you aren't afraid to tell me when something's wrong, and needs changed or avoided. And that's good too. I like that you've got enough self respect to do that. I struggle with that, I always have, and it just shows how amazingly strong you are."

Peter blushed and curled closer. He drank the tea and started to fall asleep. Ben gently put his mug off to the side and held him, rubbing his side and stomach. He was sick, but he didn't look sick. Rather, he looked like he was positively glowing. He looked happy, after the tea, and he looked like he was enjoying the cuddles. Despite how sore he was in the mornings, he still was able to dance in the evenings, and once he'd had his ginger tea he was fine foodwise too.

Ben cuddled with him for the next hour, until Peter woke up and looked up at him. He kissed his forehead softly.

"Morning."

"Morning." Peter smiled as Ben gently kissed him, holding him close.

"Do you feel better?"

"Yes. Again. Until tomorrow..."

"And tomorrow, I'll make you more tea." He smiled softly at him.

Peter smiled and kissed him again, holding his hand tightly and curling up some more.

* * *

That evening, Ben and Peter sat outside on the front porch of their little rented cabin for dinner. Peter liked the slight chill of the air, and the openness of the forest. It was all trees and fresh air, with little squirrels darting up and down the tall pines. The leaves floated easily down from the oaks and maples. Peter hadn't mentioned it to anyone except the therapist Ben had convinced him to start seeing when his nightmares returned, but he had developed a strong sense of claustrophobia. It wasn't exactly a fear of being crowded in. He was fine in a crowd. He was fine in the rental cottage. He just needed the openness of the outside sometimes. 

The therapist had called it PTSD. It was a remnant from Luke, and from the baby he had lost. He never told Luke about that baby. What could have been. He remembered when he had first met Ben, how he had been shocked and recovering still. He had mentioned to Ben he'd previously had a miscarriage. He never told him most of it, and he refused to still. He was afraid about what Ben might say, what Ben might have made him do to their little girl. He laughed at the thought that Ben might have made him abort now, but the fear had been real.

He had a healthy relationship now. They were honest with each other. Ben respected his privacy and let him make major decisions as well as minor ones. He leaned on his shoulder, taking the last bite of the rice pudding Ben had made for him.

"Thank you for making this." 

"Of course."

"You're amazing."

Ben smiled, blushing a little and leaning over to kiss his cheek. "I do what I can to keep up with you."

Peter smiled at him softly. "The forest is beautiful."

"It is. You know who else is beautiful?"

"You?"

"I was going to say the pretty guy with the moonlight hair and earthen eyes."

"Who? He sounds cool..."

"He is. He has two Walkmans and he spent time with his sisters on one of the biggest days of his life. He's gorgeous and sweet."

Peter realized he was being described and blushed, looking out at the forest. "I want to dance in the leaves..."

"Well, then why aren't you dancing?"

"Well... I... I have no answer." He looked up at him. "I don't have music."

Ben smiled and kissed him, taking their plates inside. He returned with a little stereo and put one of Peter's favorite CDs in it. After he pressed play, he held his hand out to Peter.

"I'm not wearing shoes..."

"The leaves won't hurt." Ben held out his hand. "And I already checked to make sure there's nothing here that could hurt you."

"Okay." He let himself be pulled to his feet and smiled as Ben started to move with him. "Did you mean what you said? About... About my dances with my sisters?"

"Of course I did. You looked beautiful, like you loved them both very much and here was nothing you'd rather be doing than dancing with them."

"I... I'm sorry-"

"Don't be. It was nice, to see you happy." He smiled at him.

"It's just... I hadn't seen them in ages. They were scared that I wouldn't see them anymore."

"You comforted them."

"I did. They needed it."

"They both seemed happy that you had spared a dance for the both of them. It's beautiful, you know. How much you love them. And that you're happy enough to do that. It's one of the sweetest things in the world. I hadn't known it was possible to love a man more than I already loved you, and then you danced with them and I fell even harder for you."

Peter blushed and leaned up to kiss him. Ben kissed back and gently held him close, dipping him low. The speedster wrapped his arms around his neck, smiling into the kiss as Ben straightened them both out and broke off the kiss. They danced long after the sun went down and went to bed exhausted.

* * *

When they returned home from their honeymoon, Peter and Ben were greeted by Peter's parents. Ben had his arm wrapped around Peter's waist, with Peter's head on his shoulder. Erik and Charles were sitting opposite each other, sipping tea and talking about something irrelevant. Charles looked up at the returning couple and smiled.

"Hi, welcome back!"

"Hello, Professor. Hello, Mr. Lehnsherr," Ben greeted, setting down the suitcases he was carrying with his other arm and his tail.

"How was your trip?" Erik asked, smiling at the pair. Peter was glowing, and he looked happy and content, if a little tired. "Did you have fun?"

"I was sick the whole time," Peter told him. He was still smiling, though, and he continued. "But it wasn't too bad, so we enjoyed the time together."

"Oh?" Charles looked at Ben. "Did you know of this?"

"Yeah. He threw up every day, but he insisted on staying. He was generally okay, though, so I didn't push him to leave." He rubbed Peter's back.

"Oh, you poor thing... You should get some rest. I bet the trip was horrible on you," Charles said, directing his words to his and Erik's son. "We'll have Hank take a look at you in the morning. I'm glad you had a good time."

Peter smiled. "Yeah. Thanks, dad."

Ben smiled and kissed Peter' head. "Come on, we can go cuddle up."

That night, Peter curled up with one hand on his stomach and one hand around Ben. Ben slept holding him close and curled around him, smiling softly.


End file.
